Dragons GameDay Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021 ⚫ Game # 109 Classic Ballpark ⚫ Eastlake, Ohio ⚫ 6:35 p.m. Radio: 980 WONE Fox Sports Dayton Dragons (56-52) at Lake County Captains (58-50) RH James Proctor (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Kevin Coulter (7-4, 5.67) Today’s Game: The Dayton Dragons (affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds) meet the Lake County Captains (affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) in the first game of a six-game series. 2021 Season Series: Lake County 12, Dayton 6. (At Lake County: Captains 4, Dragons 2). Current Series: First game tonight. Last Game: Sunday: Game 1: Lansing 5, Dayton 1. Game 2: Lansing 2, Dayton 0. Lansing swept the doubleheader as the Dragons scored one run in the first inning of game one, then went scoreless over the remaining 13 innings on the day. Dayton had just one hit in the second game, matching the season milestone for fewest hits in a game. Last Series vs. Lansing: The Dragons went 3-3 vs. Lansing. They hit .255 as a team with 15 runs scored (2.5 per game) while posting an ERA of 2.74 (best ERA in a series in 2021) and committing 10 errors. They stole nine bases. Previous Series at Fort Wayne: The Dragons went 3-3. They batted .245 and scored 26 runs (4.3 per game) while posting an ERA of 5.71 and committing six errors. They had 15 stolen bases in the series, matching their highest total in a series this year. Their 20 extra base hits tied for third most in a series. The Dragons roster includes eight players ranked among the top-20 prospects in the Reds organization. In the recently-updated MLB.com rankings, Matt McLain is the #4 prospect in the Reds system; Mat Nelson is #10, Michael Siani is #12, Lyon Richardson is #14, Christian Roa is #15, Bryce Bonnin is #16, Ivan Johnson is #17, and Allan Cerda is #18. In the mid-season update of Reds top-10 prospects by Baseball America, McLain is #4, Nelson is #11, Bonnin is #13, Roa is #14, and Johnson is #15. Siani was listed by Baseball America as the “Best Athlete” and “Best Defensive Outfielder” in the Reds organization entering the season. High-A Central League Playoffs: Major League Baseball has announced that leagues at three classifications, including the High-A Central League, will conduct playoffs in September. The top two teams in each league, regardless of division, will meet in a best-of-five series. Playoff Race: The Dragons are three games behind Cedar Rapids and Great Lakes in the race for the #2 seed in the 2021 post-season with 12 games to play. They would win the tie-breaker against both teams. Division Race: The Dragons are three games behind Great Lakes and two games behind Lake County in the East Division. The Mythical First Half Division Title: The Dragons were the winners of the “Mythical First Half” East Division title. Note that the league is not utilizing a split-season format in 2021. There is no First Half or Second Half, and no First Half championship race in 2021 in the High-A Central League. The Midwest League was split into two equal halves for every season from 1988-2019, and from 1956-1981. The league did not play a split season from 1982-87. First Round Fever: Matt McLain is the latest first round draft pick to play for the Dragons. Recent first round picks to play for the Dragons, with their draft year, have included Nick Lodolo (2019), Jonathan India (2018), Hunter Greene (2017), Nick Senzel (2016), Tyler Stephenson (2015), Nick Howard and Alex Blandino (2014), Phillip Ervin (2013), Nick Travieso (2012), and Robert Stephenson (2011). Every Reds “true” first round pick (selected within the first 30 picks of the draft) over the last 11 drafts has played for the Dragons except 2020 first rounder Austin Hendrick, who is currently at Low-A Daytona. Player Notes • Alex McGarry is batting .323 (10 for 31) with a home run and two doubles over his last nine games. • Quin Cotton went 7 for 13 (.538) in the series with Lansing while Matt McLain and Jacob Hurtubise both went 7 for 15 (.467). • Andy Fisher over his last nine relief appearances: 15.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 6 BB, 19 SO, 0.59 ERA, 1-0, 1 Sv. • Stevie Branche since joining the Dragons: 9 G, 15 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 8 BB, 25 SO, 1.20 ERA, 1-0. • Vin Timpanelli over his last six relief appearances: 8 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 17 SO, 1 Sv. Opponents are 2 for 27 with 17 Ks. Team Notes • The Dragons posted a team ERA of 2.74 in the series vs. Lansing that ended Sunday, their best ERA in any series this season. • After stealing just 12 bases in four sets (25 games), the Dragons have stolen 24 bases in their last 12 games. • Dragons pitchers are on pace to break the club record for most strikeouts per game. They have averaged 10.2 strikeouts per game this season (1103 SO in 108 G). The club record is 9.2 per game in 2011 (1,292 SO in 140 G). • Dragons pitchers are also on pace to break the club record for most walks per game. They have averaged 4.8 walks per game (509 BB in 108 G). The club record is 4.3 per game in 2005 (600 walks in 139 games). • Dayton has held at least a share of first place after 62 of the 108 games they have played this season. Upcoming Probable Pitchers (Game times are Dayton time) (All games on WONE 980 AM and www.daytondragons.com) Wed., Sept. 8 (1:00 p.m.): Dayton RH Spencer Stockton (2-3, 6.39) at Lake County RH Tanner Burns (2-5, 3.92) Thur., Sept. 9 (6:35 p.m.): Dayton RH Christian Roa (1-2, 5.66) at Lake County RH Xzavion Curry (5-1, 2.39) Fri., Sept. 10 (6:35 p.m.): Dayton RH Bryce Bonnin (0-1, 5.14) at Lake County RH Hunter Gaddis (4-9, 4.15) Sat., Sept 11 (6:35 p.m.): Dayton RH Carson Spiers (5-4, 3.99) at Lake County RH Daniel Espino (1-6, 5.15) Sun., Sept. 12 (6:35 p.m.): Dayton RH James Proctor at Lake County RH Mason Hickman (8-7, 4.66) TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER JAMES PROCTOR Height: 6-5 Bats: R Birthdate: July 18, 1998 Acquired: Reds NDFA, 2020 Weight: 215 Throws: R College: Princeton University Resides: St. Louis, MO Joined Club: August 31 from Daytona Notes: Opened pro career with Daytona in 2021, going 3-0 with a 1.60 ERA in 45 innings…Promoted to Dayton on August 31…Spent four seasons at Princeton University from 2017-20…Posted career record of 2-16 with a 5.88 ERA…Best season came in 2019 as junior when he made 10 starts, going 1-5 with a 4.65 ERA…Played at MICDS (Mary Institute and Country Day School) in St. Louis, Missouri…The school was attended by sportscaster Joe Buck, former Vice Presidential nominee/U.S. Senator Thomas Eagleton, and St. Louis Cardinals owner William DeWitt Jr.)…Earned first team all-state honors in 2016 as team won the 4A state championship…grandfather, James, also played professional baseball. Proctor in 2021: Earned Low-A Southeast League Pitcher of the Month honor for May (2-0, 0.45 ERA, 20 IP, 1 ER)…Tossed first five innings of combination no-hitter on May 22, striking out 11 and walking one…Allowed one run or less in 10 of his 14 appearances with Daytona including 12 starts…Left-handed batters hit just .159 against him…Placed on injured list with a left oblique strain on June 28…Returned to action on August 8. Longest Start in 2021: 5 innings (four times; most recent: June 27 with Daytona) Most pitches in a game in 2021: 83 (June 10 with Daytona) Proctor Career Stats (Prior to Joining Dragons) Season Team W L ERA G GS IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG 2021 Daytona 3 0 1.60 14 12 45 31 15 8 0 22 57 1.18 .194 Career 3 0 1.60 14 12 45 31 15 8 0 22 57 1.18 .194 2021: Dayton (High-A Central League) Date Opp W L ERA G GS IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG NP-S 9/1/2021 LAN 0 0 0.00 1 1 4 3 0 0 0 3 5 .214 76 - 47 Total A+ 0 0 0.00 1 1 4 3 0 0 0 3 5 .214 76 - 47 2021: Daytona (Low-A Southeast League) Date Opp W L ERA G GS IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG NP-S 5/4/2021 @PMB 0 0 0.00 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 4 .100 37 - 23 5/9/2021 @PMB 0 0 1.29 1 1 4 4 1 1 0 2 4 .200 62 - 33 5/15/2021 SLU 1 0 0.75 1 1 5 3 1 0 0 2 8 .195 79 - 47 5/22/2021 JUP 1 0 0.53 1 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 11 .143 74 - 48 5/29/2021 @SLU 0 0 0.45 1 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 .136 42 - 28 May 2 0 0.45 5 4 20 9 2 1 0 6 30 .136 6/3/2021 CLR 0 0 0.76 1 1 3.2 3 1 1 0 4 4 .150 82 - 46 6/10/2021 @BRD 0 0 1.88 1 1 5 4 4 4 0 4 6 .165 83 - 45 6/16/2021 PMB 0 0 1.71 1 1 3 4 3 0 0 3 3 .182 65 - 39 6/22/2021 @CLR 0 0 1.65 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .177 13 - 9 6/27/2021 @CLR 0 0 1.43 1 1 5 6 2 0 0 0 7 .194 76 – 52 June 0 0 2.55 5 5 17.2 17 10 5 0 11 21 .250 8/8/2021 @LAK 0 0 1.40 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .190 10 – 6 8/12/2021 JUP 1 0 1.35 1 0 1.1 1 1 0 0 0 1 .190 27 – 17 8/18/2021 PMB 0 0 1.29 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 3 3 .188 48 – 25 8/24/2021 @SLU 0 0 1.60 1 1 3 3 2 2 0 2 1 .194 45 – 25 August 1 0 2.45 4 3 7.1 5 3 2 0 5 6 .192 Total A 3 0 1.60 14 12 45 31 15 8 0 22 57 .194 DRAGONS BATTERS RECENT STREAKS/NOTES LAN 9/1-9/5 at FW 8/24-8/29 Hot/Cold HS H AB AVG 2B 3B HR H AB AVG 2B 3B HR Cerda 0 15 .000 9 21 .429 5 1 0-15 in LAN series after 9-21 (.429) at FW 0 Cotton 7 13 .538 1 1 15 .067 7-13 in LAN series; Hit .203 in Aug, .293 in July 4 Free 1 5 .200 1 11 .091 L 8 G: 3-22 (.136) 0 Hurtubise 7 15 .467 1 12 .083 7-15 in LAN in series after 1-25 slump 0 Johnson 1 3 .333 4 12 .333 1 Back Sunday after ankle injury on 8/28 6 Martinez 2 19 .105 7 23 .304 3 1 Led team in Aug in avg (.286), OPS (.869) 0 McGarry 4 17 .235 1 6 14 .429 2 L 9 G: 10-31 (.323), HR, 2 2B, 5 RBI 0 McLain 7 15 .467 2 3 20 .150 7-15 in LAN series to snap 5-34 (.147) 0 Nelson IL ### 2 11 .182 1 On injured list with sprained thumb 0 Reyes 1 8 .125 DNP #### Returned to club on 8/31 0 Rogers 1 8 .125 4 12 .333 1 2nd on team in Aug.